


Happy Birthday To You

by your_bus_driver



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Birthday, Birthday in the Dark Castle, Dark Castle, F/M, First Birthday away from her Home, Fluff, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Rumbelle - Freeform, Rumple Love, Rumple forgot Belle's Birthday, They're not together yet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, pure fluff, wrote some of it at 4 in the morning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-07-29 22:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7701301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/your_bus_driver/pseuds/your_bus_driver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(disclaimer: crummy description)</p><p>It's Belle's first birthday at the Dark Castle. Rumple and her are still rough around the edges, having petty repartee and debates. Not knowing, Rumple carries on like it's every other day. When he finds her later that night and learning about the occasion he missed, he grants her one wish, one thing that she wants no strings attached. Fluff ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Birthday To You

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for checking this out. I didn't know really what to write for the description but it got you here and I am happy to share my work with you. Hope you enjoy it. Pure fluff, and fun for me. Thanks! Love to ya'll!
> 
> Probably will edit, Finished it late at night before the draft got deleted from my dash. Not my favorite at the moment. Might write a sequel for when they know each other better, the one wish thing again.

It had been a long day in the castle. Not that all the days that Belle spent cooking, and cleaning, and mopping, and sweating, and dragging herself around the castle were a walk in the Enchanted Forest. Most days were hard, but today had been particularly bittersweet. Never had the feeling of homesickness that lived within her ache as much as it had done today. Her day had been filled with memories of days spent with her parents, at her old home, been as fierce as they were. 

She woke with her heart feeling heavy and her mood deep in the blue. She picked herself out of bed, and she got dressed trying not to think of what this day would have been like a year before, or ten years before. Her birthday was usually a day where she felt loved. It used to be a day that she looked forward to each year. For the past few months she had hardly remembered that this day was coming. It had snuck up on her while she was turned away doing the dishes, or sweeping the floors. 

She felt all the lost feelings that she had been having for as long as she had been there in the dark castle catching up with her. She felt cold from the inside out but she wasn't going to let that stop her from keeping up appearances. She went along with her day like it had been any normal one. She left her room, and she went down to the kitchen. With the help of a few cookbooks that she found stashed in the cup board she was able to cook a nice meal of eggs and toast. It didn't seem the complicated but she wanted to make sure that she was doing it right. She brought it out to Rumplestiltskin along with a cup of tea. 

He had been sitting in his throne like usual, at the end of the long table that always remained empty. She wondered to herself, a quick and fleeting thought, why he had a table so long and so large but had no one to share a meal with? He watched her walk to him with that all knowing look from under his tilted head and hanging bangs. His skin glinted with the light coming in from the curtainless windows. She gave him a small smile that he hesitantly returned as she place the tray in front of him. She could tell that he was still half asleep because none of his usual snark or ostentatious manner peeked through. Neither spoke a word. 

With a small curtsy that her ladies maids would do when she lived at home, she turned and left the way she came. She heard no thank you from him as she retreated. She heard no invitation for her to sit with him. She didn't hear anything but the quiet munching he made when he ate. 

She left the room and went back to the kitchen, where she cleaned up the small mess that she had made. After that she moved around the castle with her head hanging low. She washed his clothes, ringing the especially muddy and bloody wears from his latest deal making endeavor. She kept the fire going in the great hall, long after he had gone. She washed his dishes, and she dusted his knick knacks. She took the prisoner, a man that Rumplestiltskin had acquired, some bread and a cup of water. She was sure that he wouldn't be there for long. She was sure that once Rumplestiltskin got what he needed from him, he would be free. She talked to him for a little while as she waited for her to return the dishes, knowing that if he found them in his cell when he came to talk to him later that she would surely get an earful. He seemed quiet. She asked him about his life: where he lived, if he had family, what was the most interesting place that he had visited in his years, why he was there, and such. 

He told her that he lived in the next town over, about an hour walk from here. He told her that the only place that he had every been was this castle, and his hometown. He said that he had no family, as his mother and father had died not too long ago and he had been an only child, but he mentioned that there was this maiden that he had a soft spot for back home. When she pressed further, he said that she was kind and loving, and that they had been friends since they had known each other. 

"But the way you speak of her, she must be more than a friend." She said with a small smile. She sat on a stool outside his cell, looking in through the small opening in the door.  
He had his hands wrapped around the bars and his head was resting against them, looking out at her. 

"Am I that transparent?" He asked. His beard twitched when he smiled. 

"No, you're not. I've just read too many stories is all. You talk of her like one would in a romance novel, a sweet one that I would enjoy reading. You have a fondness in your eyes that I can see when you speak of her." She said, looking at her hands. How she wished someone spoke of her that way. She can't remember that last time she had heard someone in person talk about someone that way. "So is there more to this story? Is there a happy ending in sight, I hope?"

"I don't know. I never read much when I was younger, or now. I hope this isn't the end of my story, if you know what I mean." He said looking around his cell. "If it is then I hope she knows how I felt. I don't think she does, I've never made it clear, my feelings. I just hope that she knows that I cared for her."

"I don't think this is the end. Here prisoners come and go. Rumplestiltskin likes to act tough but I know that he isn't as cold blooded as he seems. I believe that you will be here no longer than the end of the next day." 

"And what about you?" He asked. 

"What do you mean?" She replied looking up into his eyes. He looked down with an open expression that she missed. 

"When will you be able to leave?" 

"Sadly, never." She explained further when she looked up and saw pity in his eyes. "I made a deal that in order for my family and my people to be protected that I would stay here, keeping his house, forever." 

"That's horrible." He said. He reached his hand out through the tight space of the bars, to touch her, offering her some sympathy. She gladly took it, standing from her seat and reaching out to him. 

"Sometimes I think that as well, but then I make myself remember that because of what I have done, and because I am here my people are out the safe."

"But aren't you lonely here. I don't think that I would enjoy spending my days with the beast that haunts these halls."

"It does get lonely at times, but he isn't as bad as most people believe. At the very least, he isn't cruel towards me, and that's better than the alternative. And I still have people like you to talk to." She said. It didn't make up for much but it still meant she had people to talk to. 

He nodded, and squeezed that hand that she had been holding. 

"Can I tell you something?" She asked. She didn't know why, but she needed to tell someone.

"Of course," He said. 

"It's my birthday today." She said. She felt silly for saying it. She felt like she was burdening him with her problems in a way, making him pity her more. She felt herself blush at the confession, even if it was hardly a confession, but she felt like she needed to tell someone. She didn't want to bother Rumplestiltskin because she didn't know what eh would do about it. She didn't know if he would make fun of her for bringing it up, mock her to her face, or if he would just ignore her. She knew that this man wouldn't do either of those, and she felt like if she didn't tell someone it would be like it never happened. 

After a quiet moment, while he looked at her with shiny, sad eyes, he reached his other hand through the bars and closed it over the top of her hand. He held her hand between the two of his, looking into her eyes and said, "Happy Birthday, Belle." 

With a deeper blush from before, and tears in her eyes from the emotion in his voice, she nodded back and thanked him. 

And that was when they heard steps coming down the corridor. They echoed off of the stone walls. Belle and the man, Simon, broke apart as they looked down the hall. They both looked frightened, as they both knew who was on his way. 

"I must be going. Don't tell him that I was here." She said in a hurried whisper, and began to walk, but stopped short. "I hope your story has a happy ending." 

"I hope yours does too." He said. They both smiled once again at one another before Belle turned away again and this time walked with speed down the hallway, in the other direction of the footsteps she heard behind her. 

Rumplestiltskin didn't find her there, and as far as she knew Simon had not told him of what she had done. The next time she saw Rumplestiltskin was when he came down for lunch. He seemed more himself when she saw him then. As soon as she entered the hall she found him spinning in the corner, a tangle of gold already piling in the basket at his feet. 

When she entered the room he looked up from his work and his glinting grin perked up. 

"Hello, Dearie. How are we today? Moping around like usual, I see." His voice rise and fell, and ended with a chuckle. He stood up from his seat and walked over to the table. He sat down on his thrown, kicking his legs up so they crossed on the table top. She stood by his side. 

"Good Afternoon Rumplestiltskin." She had no energy today to repartee his usual banter. Any other day she would try to knock him off his chair with some retort but today she didn't feel up to it. It didn't seem to have a point. "What can I get you for lunch?" 

"Oh no sharp quip, or no insult thrown my way. You must be in a sour mood because I don't think I have seen a day like this." He said, his accent coloring his voice. "What has got you down? What has soiled your snark. Come on tell me." He said. He beckoned her closer but she held her ground. 

"Nothing. It's nothing," She said brushing him off. "What can I get you for lunch?" 

"Are you sure, Dearie?" He said. She wasn't sure why he was pressing the matter. He never seemed to care before. She didn't care to see where this was going, or why he was suddenly interested in her plights. She didn't feel like playing along. "I've nothing better to do. It's not like you have anyone else here to talk to." 

She knew that he was trying to get a rise out of her, with that last comment but she just wasn't hungry for his bait. "I'm sure. Now, for the last time, or I will leave you here to starve, what do you want for lunch?" She asked. 

"There is a little of that spark showing through. There we go." He said. He gave a shriek like giggle of approaval, and then set about playing with his arches steeple made by his hands. He thought dramatically for a moment before telling her that he wanted. "I'll give you a challenge, how about that? Give you something to do with your day." Like she didn't have enough to do already. "How about you make me... Filet Mignon." 

"How about you request something that I can make? I am not a cook, as you know." She said, rolling her eyes. 

"Fine. Fine. If you insist. How about you make me... Roasted Duck?" She shook her head, placing her hands on her hips and looking at him with the look that meant she wasn't playing. "No? Now, now, what kind of housekeeper are you if you can't even cook me lunch. You can barely keep the house clean, and you are nosy as all can be. Maybe I should have thought twice before taking you on." 

This was normal. His put downs, and his comments trying to strike her down. It was like every other day, in his eyes. He was playing their game. And any other day, if it wasn't this certain day, she would play along but not today. She was already feeling down and out, there was no room to pile it on. 

She decided that she wasn't going to take that, sitting down, or standing up. She turned on her heel and she left the room. She heard his protests as she left, but didn't bother to listen. It was probably just empty words, more taunting from his tongue. She walked her way up to her room and she slammed the door as loud as she could, knowing that he would hear it. She stayed there for the rest of the day. She laid on her bed, and she read some of the books that she had by her bedside. She looked out the window, and she tried even though she knew it was useless, to see if she could see her home.

By the time she left the room it was nightfall outside her window. She didn't bother going down before that. She didn't think that she would have to work, as she knew that she had put up quite a fight. She didn't think that he would want to see her and she certainly did not want to see him. She knew that he was capable of conjuring up whatever food he wanted. She knew that he had not gone hungry before her arrival and that he would not go hungry during her absence. 

When her stomach began to rumble and she couldn't ignore the hunger. She changed into her dressing gown and she wrapped a blanket from the foot of her bed around her shoulders. She slipped on her slippers and she stepped into the stairwell. She went down to the kitchen. She took a candle from the corridor, that always seemed to be lit, to help her along the way. It cast shadows across the room, so everything seemed to be moving around her. She knew that no one was there but she still kept looking up. She fixed herself a sandwich, from the bread and spreads she found lying around. 

As she moved about she found more candles that sat on the counters. She lit them as she went, lighting up the room as she went. The room was a nice bright yellow by the time she had finished. 

She sat at the small table in the center of the room. When she had cleaned her plate, and her hunger has subsided she sat at the table and let the weight that had been resting on her shoulders press. She let the sadness, the loneliness, that melancholy feeling that had been hanging over her head come raining down. She let the tears that had been welling in her eyes throughout the day finally fall. 

She let her head fall into her hands and she lets the sobs echo off of the walls. She is so deep into her thoughts that she didn't notice when another person joined her. 

"Um.." He said, not knowing much else to say. He stood there, his head low, and his stance awkward. She looked up as soon as she saw the noise. Even though her vision was blurry, she knew who it was. Who else would it have been?

"Oh, um Rumplestiltskin." She said as she saw him. He looked up to meet here eye. "I'm sorry. I didn't think I would be disturbing you this late at night. I'll just be going." She wiped at her wet cheeks and stood from her stool. 

"No, no. You aren't disturbing me. But it does look as though something is disturbing you. I hope that isn't me." He said. He stepped forward, towards her. Not close enough to touch her be close enough to seem conversational.

"For the most part, no, it's not you." She said. She stood there, staring at her feet. The tears continued to fall, though she tried to stop them. It was like she had turned a faucet on, and it couldn't turn off. 

"But some part, yes?" He asked, taking another step towards her, and towards the table. "Sit, sit. I was telling the truth earlier. I am here, eyes and ears. I am here to listen. If you want to talk about it I'm here. I am the only one, really to talk to here, if you don't count the prisoner downstairs." She took a seat. "I have eyes everywhere." She knew the moment he spoke of the prisoner that he knew. Why did she think that there was something within this castle that he didn't know about. "Yes, of course I know about your little chit chat with my guest. I could hear you too gabbing like milk maids down there."

"I didn't think you knew. If you think that I am sorry, I am not. I will not apologize for my kindness." She said holding her head high. She looked him in the eye and she let the tears fall anyway. His face, which she thought would be as high and as mighty as he tried to be, was rather sad and concerned. It wasn't the usual sad and concerned that you saw when others felt so. It wasn't the pity that she had gotten earlier, but she could see a shadow of that in his eyes. 

"I didn't ask you too, did I?" He said, trying to sound his usual self but Belle could hear something beneath it. She was glad that he didn't mention the tears. "So what has got you hot and bothered this late in the evening, hmm?"

"Just feeling a little homesick." She said. She wiped the back of her hand across her face.

"Not just the everyday I take it?" He said, probing.

"No. Today is my birthday." She said. There was no use running around it, or not saying it. The day was up, there was nothing he could do to make her day more grueling than it was on another day. 

He stayed quiet. They sat in silence. When she made a move to leave, standing up from her seat, because she felt the silence become more and more awkward, he spoke. 

"Happy Birthday," He said quietly. She turned back around to see him. He was looking up at her with soft eyes. She stopped and stared, seeing him in a new light in this low light. 

"Thank you." She said quietly. She didn't move away. 

"Um..." He seemed to having trouble forming his words, which was something she hadn't seen before. It made him look almost human.

"Yes?" She said sweetly, happy to find she had the upper hand. 

"Is there anything... you desire, in light of this... occasion?" She searched his face.

"Doesn't all magic, come with a price?" She said making his outrageous hand motions as she spoke, a coy smile playing on her face.

"It's on me." He said.

She thought for a moment. The first thing that popped into her mind was, of course, spending time with her family. She knew that she wasn't going to use her 'wish' of sorts on that. Another person, given this gift, would use it to end their enslavement and return home but she knew from her time here, with him, that there was more to this ostentatious, fearful fool he acted like. Just the gesture of giving her this gift showed that there was more to him than met the eye. 

"I think I've got it." He had watched her as she had deliberated. "I would like for my birthday... a cake." 

"A birthday cake?" He asked. He looked at her with a disbelieveing expersion. "You could ask for anything. I put no stipulations, I didn't say you couldn't do this or you couldn't do that. You could ask for anything. Jewels, riches, power, fortune, _freedom_ , anything and you choose cake?" He asked. He didn't seem angry, but his voice seemed to bellow in the quiet night.

"Yes." She said simply. "And thank you."

He stared at her for another moment, trying to figure if she was serious or not, and then with the flick of his wrist and a poof of purple smoke, on the table on a glinting platter was a simple, but elegant frosted birthday cake. There was no writing on the top. "There you go." He said, still seemingly confused. He stood from his chair to leave as she sat down back in hers. 

"Where are you going? You can't leave me here to eat my birthday cake alone. That would be ungentlemanly." She said.

"Well, I am no gentle _man_ dearie." 

"Well, than it isn't friendly. Now sit, and lets eat." 

"Don't you want to sing?" He said. 

"Do you want to sing?" She asked, smiling.

"I'd rather not." 

"Neither do I, so let's eat."

"Wait, even if we don't sing you still have to make a wish." And when he flicked his wrist again, stuck in the middle of the cake there was a lit and gleaming candle. She thought for a moment, and then she blew out the candle. 

"What did you wish for?" He asked. 

"If I tell you, it won't come true." She replied. 

"You know I have more power in my small finger than a wish blown from a birthday cake does." He stood up to fetch some utensils to use but when he ended up standing in front of the cabinets unsure, Belle rose and walked over to the correct drawer. 

"How many years have you lived in this castle, and I, the maid who has been here less than a year, and I know your kitchen better than you?" She said shaking the two forks at him. She walked over to another cabinet and took out two small plates. 

They sat at the table. Belle served them each a slice. They ate in silence for the most part. Belle couldn't think of anything to say, as this was one of the first times that they had spent time together, when it wasn't obligated. It was foreign and she didn't know how to approach. After being alone for so long, he probably didn't see the need to break the silence. Silence was probably a comfort for him. 

They ate until their plates were clean. Belle, giving in because she suddenly felt tired, spoke first. "Thank you again, for the cake."

"No problem. No worries, dearie." He said, shrugging it off. 

Belle got up from her seat, picking up their two dishes and placing them in the basin along with the dishes from lunch. She would get to those in the morning. 

Before she left the kitchen she walked over to where he still sat perched on the edge of his stool. She placed her hand against the side of his arm, feeling the dragon skin smooth and cool beneath her palm. He looked up at her with the same look of curiosity and confusion as before. She didn't waver from his gaze. She looked him and the eye, and thanked him again. He seemed to hear her gratitude this time. 

"You're welcome." He said in a low and husky voice, that did something to her that she choose not to think about, probably exhaustion. "Happy Birthday."

She gave him a quick but meaningful smile and then made her way out of the room. She walked up the winding staircases to her bedroom. After changing out of her rumpled and rugged dressing and into a thin night dress, she tucked herself in to bed. The wind around her room, leaking in from the window made the air extra cold at night. 

As she laid there she reflected on the day. It hadn't been as bad as she thought. She had seen a new side to Rumplestiltskin that she hadn't seen before, a thoughtful and demure Rumplestiltskin, that she looked forward to getting to know. Even though it hadn't been one of her best birthdays but it had been a good day.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Hope you liked it!
> 
> Feel free to click the kudos if you think it deserves it, and leave a comment if you want to say something! I love hearing feedback and I know that it seems like your bothering someone when you comment, I always feel like that when I do, but it's really not. I would love to hear from you, it always makes my day whenever someone writes to me.
> 
> Once again, thank you for taking time from you day, or night as I usually read at night, and reading this peace. Hope you have a great day or night, or both. 
> 
> Love to all, TrappedBetweenthePages!
> 
> (i think it may have been a little rough, but don't judge my other by this one, check out the rest of my fics. will be adding more and more)


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